Event ticketing connects schedules, capacity, prices, attendee records, payments, check-in, refunds and communication. A good event page is only the visible edge of that operational system, and the door on event day is where weak setups fail.
How this guide was produced
Documented features reviewed on 10 September 2026. Gateway support, add-on requirements and licence terms change, so confirm before selling tickets.
Eight options at a glance
| Plugin | Best for | First thing to verify |
|---|---|---|
| The Events Calendar with Event Tickets | Calendar-led events | Paid commerce features |
| WooCommerce Box Office | WooCommerce ticket sales | Check-in workflow |
| FooEvents | WooCommerce events | App and extension needs |
| Eventin | Conferences and schedules | Licence and gateway scope |
| Event Espresso | Dedicated registration systems | Payment gateway plan |
| Tickera | Self-hosted ticketing | Add-ons and mobile check-in |
| WP Event Manager | Modular event directories | Ticket extension stack |
| Modern Events Calendar | Visual calendars and bookings | Feature overlap and performance |
How we assessed them
We compared schedules, capacity, ticket types, fees, taxes, seating, attendee fields, QR or barcode check-in, offline operation, refunds, transfers, emails, exports, accessibility, privacy and reporting.
Build a deliberately awkward test event
- Free and paid tickets, capacity limits and timezones
- Taxes, coupons and failed payments
- Cancellations, refunds and ticket transfers
- Duplicate scans and poor venue connectivity
- Accessibility needs, then reconcile issued tickets with settled payments
Read next
- WooCommerce booking plugins - appointments rather than ticketed events
- WordPress church plugins - events inside a wider community site
- Free SMTP plugins - tickets have to reach the inbox
- Run a live speed test - on-sale traffic arrives all at once
Where to get these
Direct links to the official plugin, theme and store pages for everything named above. Prices and plans are set by the vendor, and some links may earn us a commission.
- Get it
WooCommerce Box Office
Plugin · WooCommerce · Premium
- Get it
FooEvents
Plugin · FooEvents · Premium
- Get it
Eventin
Plugin · Themewinter · Freemium
- Get it
Event Espresso
Plugin · Event Espresso · Premium
- Get it
Tickera
Plugin · Tickera · Premium
- Get it
WP Event Manager
Plugin · WP Event Manager · Freemium
- Get it
Modern Events Calendar
Plugin · Webnus · Freemium
Common questions
Is WooCommerce required for event tickets?
No. Some systems use their own commerce layer. WooCommerce helps when you already rely on its payments and reporting.
Can check-in work without internet?
Some apps support limited offline workflows. Verify conflict handling and synchronisation before the event.
What attendee data should I collect?
Only what is needed for entry, safety, service and lawful communication, with a retention policy attached.
Fast WordPress editorial
Independent research edition · Published 10 September 2026. We update field guides when a plugin's documented capabilities change.
